Mark 7:2–13

²and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled— that is, unwashed.

³Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.^{a 4}And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.^b

⁵So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”

⁶Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘These people honor Me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me.

⁷They worship Me in vain;

they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’^c

⁸You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.^d”

⁹He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain^e your own tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’^f and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’^{g 11}But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), ¹²he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother. ¹³Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”